The Baptism of Sorrow 269 
‘‘ Beneath this sod, the first ever broken in Oregon for the reception of 
a white mother and child, lie buried the remains of Anna Maria Pitman, 
wife of Reverend Jason Lee, and infant son. She sailed from New York 
in July, 18386; landed in Oregon June, 1837; was married in July, 1837, 
and died June 26, 1838, in full enjoyment of that love which constrained 
her to leave all for Christ and heathen souls. ‘Lo we have left all and 
followed Thee; what shall we have therefore?’” 
Geographic Characteristics and Natural Resources of Oregon. 
What, briefly, are the prominent geographic characteristics 
and natural resources and advantages of the state of Oregon? 
To enumerate, much less describe or discuss them would require 
a long series of lectures, each of which, to be properly under- 
stood and appreciated, should be fully illustrated. I may men- 
tion a few only of the most notable. 
First, an area—and I speak now of the present state of Ore- 
gon—of 96,050 square miles, containing 60,518,400 acres,’com- 
prising every conceivable character of surface configuration ; an 
area greater in extent by more than 6,000 square miles than all 
of England, Scotland and Wales combined, with their aggregate 
population of over 32,000,000; an area over eight times larger 
than Belgium, with its population of above 6,000,000, and but 
6,000 square miles less than one-half that of France, with its 
40,000,000 people. 
This area consists of numerous and extended fertile valleys ; 
mountain ranges, rich in minerals, both precious and base, whose 
sides are clothed with eternal verdure and whose peaks are 
crowned with eternal snow; forests unsurpassed in extent and 
in the number, variety and majesty of the trees composing them ; 
immense fertile plateaus of everlasting green, on whose nutri- 
tious grasses feed 2,600,000 sheep, of the value of $6,000,000, 
and which produce annually over 17,000,000 pounds of wool, 
averaging, according to price, from $2,000,000 to $2,250,000 ; 
250,000 horses, of the value of $7,000,000 ; 6,500 mules, of the 
value of $300,000; 125,000 milch cows, of the value of $3,000,000, 
and 1,000,0U0 oxen and other cattle, of the value of $12,000,000, 
Then we have sandy deserts, gradually being converted into 
fruitful grain fields in virtue of the processes of irrigation ; mag- 
nificent rivers, including the Columbia, the great father of 
western waters, the Snake, the Willamette, the Yamhill, the 
Tualatin, the Santiam, the Siuslaw, the Rogue, the Umpqua, the 
